Windows 10 tiles and rubbish!

dblight · November 26, 2015

So we have just built a clean image of Windows 10 Education (November update) downloaded from VLSC.

What the hell have they done to it? xbox apps, sway, office, onenote and CANDYCRUSH SAGA! It wont sysprep for some reason to do with the candycrush app.

Does anyone have a definitive way of removing all these horrible apps for all current and future users? This is ridiculous. Failing that we are going to go down the LTSB route.

arh1a · November 26, 2015

This should help - http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/161433-windows-10-removal-off-preinstalled-apps-bulk-sans-store.html

Joanne · November 26, 2015

It does astound me that they bring out an 'Education' flavour of Windows, but then do nothing to it to benefit the education sector. It's just the same as Pro and Enterprise!! (Apart from that text in the bottom corner!)

dblight · November 26, 2015

It does astound me that they bring out an 'Education' flavour of Windows, but then do nothing to it to benefit the education sector. It's just the same as Pro and Enterprise!! (Apart from that text in the bottom corner!)

It's a complete oversight on Microsoft's part.

sparkeh · November 26, 2015

It does astound me that they bring out an 'Education' flavour of Windows, but then do nothing to it to benefit the education sector. It's just the same as Pro and Enterprise!! (Apart from that text in the bottom corner!)

Its not the same as Pro. Its has some good extra features: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/WindowsForBusiness/Compare

But yes its the same as Enterprise, though I believe that future development will bring different features than Enterprise.

Edited November 26, 2015 by sparkeh

sted · November 26, 2015

isn't it easier/safer to use applocker to disable them rather than removing them

sparkeh · November 26, 2015

isn't it easier/safer to use applocker to disable them rather than removing them

Yes, I think that you are right. I think that's where I am headed, much less hassle than trying to remove them before imaging.

dblight · November 26, 2015

Yeah forgot about AppLocker. Will give it a go also. Cheers!!

jmak · November 26, 2015

isn't it easier/safer to use applocker to disable them rather than removing them

If you do that, does it stop the "just setting a few things up" annoyance for new users, or does it install the apps but prevent access to them?

Without getting rid of all the apps, first log in is unacceptably long.

free780 · November 26, 2015

You can disable the setting up message. I guess being education could include university's which may not care about students running candycrush. I know you could run a script with 8.1 that uninstalled the apps but you had to be careful as some apps are the settings app.

dblight · November 26, 2015

If you do that, does it stop the "just setting a few things up" annoyance for new users, or does it install the apps but prevent access to them?

Without getting rid of all the apps, first log in is unacceptably long.

There is a separate Group Policy settings that allows you to disable the sign in video. The name and its location escapes me at the moment but we have it set at domain level

liveman2 · November 26, 2015

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]

"EnableFirstLogonAnimation"=dword:00000000

jmak · November 26, 2015

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"EnableFirstLogonAnimation"=dword:00000000

Does that prevent the process running or just suppress the animation?

dblight · November 26, 2015

Going to give this a go tomorrow

http://ccmexec.com/2015/08/blocking-built-in-apps-in-windows-10-using-applocker/

liveman2 · November 27, 2015

I am not sure, it definitely makes the annoying annimation dissapear though.

gshaw · November 27, 2015

There is a separate Group Policy settings that allows you to disable the sign in video. The name and its location escapes me at the moment but we have it set at domain level

I stops the video but first login speed is awful. Took nearly a minute on a new Surface 3, hopeless compared to a couple of seconds on Windows 7.

Waiting for people who have tried the LTSB to post their results but in theory it should speed them up.

Joanne · November 27, 2015

Just a weird one... I've used applocker and I imported the rules on the 2008R2 server and it said 0 rules imported, "Meh" I thought, "Let me go onto the 2012R2 server and do it." So I went onto the 2012R2 box and all the rules were there!! COOL.

dblight · November 27, 2015

So having wasted the whole day trying to remove CANDY CRUSH (and its mates that shouldn't even be on an Education specific OS) its come to the point where Education is being binned in favour of Enterprise LTSB.

No matter how I configured Applocker all it managed to do was screw the Start Menu to the point it wont even load. If they deemed Candy Crush apps suitable this time god knows what they will reliase in the next update. LTSB seems the only way we can control 100% what the users get and we wont be forced to do updates!

And breathe...... Rant over.....

this_is_gav · November 30, 2015

I've got Applocker blocking everything fine. Make sure you've also got an allow rule for everything too, as in the below attachment... no, I don't know why either... but it does block the apps in the list.

I've got a different problem. I've got the start tiles layout working as I want, I've got the start menu opening fine (left and right-click), sysprep working as I want, but no matter how I do it, the removal of apps doesn't fully work and they remain in the All apps section of the start menu. If I do it before sysprep (using Get-AppxPackage -allusers *3dbuilder** | Remove-AppxPackage and so on) they reappear after sysprep. If I leave it until after sysprep then it runs the script without errors, but the apps remain. If I target it at created users (just to test, as it wouldn't be feasible to do it after each user is created of course) using Get-AppxPackage -user username *3dbuilder** | Remove-AppxPackage then I get an error that the package wasn't found. I don't want to remove all the apps (Get-AppxPackage -allusers | Remove-AppxPackage) as I want to retain the photos app as the default for viewing pictures (though this command seems to work - edit: that doesn't work for new users ). All I want to do is tidy up the start menu.

I know Microsoft are desperately trying to promote their app store, but how can they expect Windows 10 to get any traction from education and businesses when it's near-impossible for businesses to deploy the OS they want, an OS that is 99% fine.

Edited November 30, 2015 by this_is_gav

Joanne · November 30, 2015

This will be my 4th attempt at creating a Windows 10 image that I'll be happy to deploy. I think I might have to just lump it with the xbox app staying on the start menu.

this_is_gav · November 30, 2015

I've got a different problem. I've got the start tiles layout working as I want, I've got the start menu opening fine (left and right-click), sysprep working as I want, but no matter how I do it, the removal of apps doesn't fully work and they remain in the All apps section of the start menu. If I do it before sysprep (using Get-AppxPackage -allusers *3dbuilder** | Remove-AppxPackage and so on) they reappear after sysprep. If I leave it until after sysprep then it runs the script without errors, but the apps remain. If I target it at created users (just to test, as it wouldn't be feasible to do it after each user is created of course) using Get-AppxPackage -user username *3dbuilder** | Remove-AppxPackage then I get an error that the package wasn't found. I don't want to remove all the apps (Get-AppxPackage -allusers | Remove-AppxPackage) as I want to retain the photos app as the default for viewing pictures (though this command seems to work - edit: that doesn't work for new users ). All I want to do is tidy up the start menu.

It seems the script here works fine at the moment: Removing built-in Apps from Windows 10 using Powershell - CCMEXEC.COM – System Center blog - but it only works after an image has been syspreped - trying to run it before resulted in the familiar instant sysprep failure, advising to check the log. The few remaining apps can easily be blocked with AppLocker.

I've deployed a couple of laptops and asked those kids to see if they can break them.

Arthur · November 30, 2015

Microsoft have a KB article about the sysprep issue.

Sysprep fails after removing or updating Windows built-in Windows Store apps

One of the solutions is to remove the apps from the image offline.

Note The issue does not occur if you are servicing an offline image. In that scenario, the provisioning is automatically cleared for all users. This includes the user who runs the command.

Duke5A · December 1, 2015

It doesn't need to be this complicated. Load a fresh install of Win10, when logged in as the newly created local admin (don't create any other accounts yet) run the two Power Shell commands that were linked to in the second post of this thread. Only things you need to watch out for is to run Power Shell as an administrator (right-click, run as admin) and use the version of PS that matches the OS architecture (32 or 64 bit).

Bam:

First logons for users are nice and speedly without the crap.

Also, I keep a log in all my base images to keep track of things. Here is the log for my Windows 10 image thus far.

Windows 10 Enterprise x64 Base Image -- Created 2015/10/29

-Removed all provisioned apps with the exception of Cortana and the Store
	Get-AppxProvisionedPackage –online | Where-Object {$_.PackageName –notlike “*WindowsStore*”} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage –online
	Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers | Where-Object {$_.Name –notlike “*store*”} | Remove-AppxPackage
-Uninstalled OneDrive
	'%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall'

-Group Policy:
	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection
		Allow Telemetry: Enabled - Set to 0 for off

	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Windows Error Reporting
		Disable Reporting: Enabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Application Compatibility
		Turn off Application Telemetry: Enabled
		Turn off Program Compatibility Assistant: Enabled
		Turn off Application Compatibility Engine: Enabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Windows Media Player
		Do Not Show First Use Dialog Boxes: Enabled
		Prevent Quick Launch Toolbar Shortcut Creation: Enabled
		Prevent Desktop Shortcut Creation: EnabledAnything

	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer
		Prevent running First Run wizard: Enabled
		Prevent participation in the CEIP: Enabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Internet Communication Management > Internet Communication Settings
		Turn Off Windows Error Reporting: Enabled
		Turn Off Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program: Enabled
	
	Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Search
		Allow Cortana: Disabled
		Allow search and Cortana to use location: Disabled
		Do not allow web search: Enabled
		Don’t search the web or display web results in Search: Enabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > System > System Restore
		Turn off System Restore: Enabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > System > Logon
		Show first sign-in animation: Disabled
		Turn off Windows Startp sound: Enabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > System > User Profiles
		Turn off the advertising ID: Enabled	

	Computer > Admin Templates > Control Panel > Regional and Handwriting
		Allow Input Personalization: Disabled

	Computer > Admin Templates > Control Panel > Handwriting personalization
		Turn off automatic learning: Enabled

-Registry (Edits made to HKCU hive are in the Default profile)
	
	(Disables the sending of data back to MS to improve typing and writing)
	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Input\TIPC
		Enabled: 0
	(Disables Windows from asking for feedback)
	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules
		PeriodInNanoSeconds (DWORD): 0			
	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules
		NumberOfSIUFInPeriod (DWORD): 0

	(Disables WiFi Sense)
	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc\wifinetworkmanager\config
		AutoConnectAllowedOEM (DWORD): 0

	(Disables CEIP in Office)
	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common
		QMEnable (DOWRD): 0
		

-Services:
	Diagnostic Policy Service: Disabled
	Diagnostic Trackng Service: Disabled

-Installed 7-Zip 9.20
-Installed Notepad++ 6.8.6
	-Installed without auto update
-Installed VLC 2.2.1
	-Disabled update notifier and copied config file to default user profile
-Installed VMWare Mouse and Display drivers
-Installed Office 2013

-Added OEM information
-Added Power Shell scripts to admin Windows Update client

Group Policy edits were made using the 'gpedit.msc' and the registry tweaks were made by loading the Current User registry hive from the default user profile. A lot of the crap that MS has in Win10 doesn't have any means of controlling it via GPO, so I had to go this route. And I HIGHLY recommend dropping the Power Shell scripts in place to configure the Windows Update client from the command line seeing as how MS decided to do away with a lot of the basic functionality in the GUI.

No sysprep errors either...

Edited December 1, 2015 by Duke5A

dblight · December 2, 2015

It doesn't need to be this complicated. Load a fresh install of Win10, when logged in as the newly created local admin (don't create any other accounts yet) run the two Power Shell commands that were linked to in the second post of this thread. Only things you need to watch out for is to run Power Shell as an administrator (right-click, run as admin) and use the version of PS that matches the OS architecture (32 or 64 bit).

Bam:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33566[/ATTACH]

First logons for users are nice and speedly without the crap.

Also, I keep a log in all my base images to keep track of things. Here is the log for my Windows 10 image thus far.

Windows 10 Enterprise x64 Base Image -- Created 2015/10/29

-Removed all provisioned apps with the exception of Cortana and the Store
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage –online | Where-Object {$_.PackageName –notlike “*WindowsStore*”} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage –online
Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers | Where-Object {$_.Name –notlike “*store*”} | Remove-AppxPackage
-Uninstalled OneDrive
'%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall'

-Group Policy:
Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection
Allow Telemetry: Enabled - Set to 0 for off

Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Windows Error Reporting
Disable Reporting: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Application Compatibility
Turn off Application Telemetry: Enabled
Turn off Program Compatibility Assistant: Enabled
Turn off Application Compatibility Engine: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Windows Media Player
Do Not Show First Use Dialog Boxes: Enabled
Prevent Quick Launch Toolbar Shortcut Creation: Enabled
Prevent Desktop Shortcut Creation: EnabledAnything

Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer
Prevent running First Run wizard: Enabled
Prevent participation in the CEIP: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Internet Communication Management > Internet Communication Settings
Turn Off Windows Error Reporting: Enabled
Turn Off Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Search
Allow Cortana: Disabled
Allow search and Cortana to use location: Disabled
Do not allow web search: Enabled
Don’t search the web or display web results in Search: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > System > System Restore
Turn off System Restore: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > System > Logon
Show first sign-in animation: Disabled
Turn off Windows Startp sound: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > System > User Profiles
Turn off the advertising ID: Enabled

Computer > Admin Templates > Control Panel > Regional and Handwriting
Allow Input Personalization: Disabled

Computer > Admin Templates > Control Panel > Handwriting personalization
Turn off automatic learning: Enabled

-Registry (Edits made to HKCU hive are in the Default profile)

(Disables the sending of data back to MS to improve typing and writing)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Input\TIPC
Enabled: 0
(Disables Windows from asking for feedback)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules
PeriodInNanoSeconds (DWORD): 0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules
NumberOfSIUFInPeriod (DWORD): 0

(Disables WiFi Sense)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc\wifinetworkmanager\config
AutoConnectAllowedOEM (DWORD): 0

(Disables CEIP in Office)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common
QMEnable (DOWRD): 0


-Services:
Diagnostic Policy Service: Disabled
Diagnostic Trackng Service: Disabled

-Installed 7-Zip 9.20
-Installed Notepad++ 6.8.6
-Installed without auto update
-Installed VLC 2.2.1
-Disabled update notifier and copied config file to default user profile
-Installed VMWare Mouse and Display drivers
-Installed Office 2013

-Added OEM information
-Added Power Shell scripts to admin Windows Update client

Group Policy edits were made using the 'gpedit.msc' and the registry tweaks were made by loading the Current User registry hive from the default user profile. A lot of the crap that MS has in Win10 doesn't have any means of controlling it via GPO, so I had to go this route. And I HIGHLY recommend dropping the Power Shell scripts in place to configure the Windows Update client from the command line seeing as how MS decided to do away with a lot of the basic functionality in the GUI.

No sysprep errors either...

Thanks for the heads up, pretty much there now.... But I shall run a fresh build in the morning and give your suggestion a crack!

sparkeh · December 2, 2015

It doesn't need to be this complicated.

Awesome! Thanks I'll give this a try

Windows 10 tiles and rubbish!

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